A recent citizen research initiative in 2024 revealed that 62% of Pune’s roads are less than nine metres wide. This limitation is exacerbated by on-street parking, which further narrows the usable carriageway. The findings raise significant concerns about urban infrastructure and traffic management in the city.
Pune: Corporators from several wards, including from areas with large market pockets, recently raised concerns about lack of parking lots in Pune, which they said was leading to severe traffic congestion across the city. “Almost every road in central Pune is congested due to roadside parking,” said Ajay Khedekar, corporator from the Ghorpade Peth-Guruwar Peth ward. These spaces have been encroached and are being wasted,” Khedekar said.
“There have been repeated follow-ups, but the administration has not developed the lots.
There is lack of proper planning and policy,” Nikam said. Another corporator, Ajit Ghule, said fleecing by parking contractors was also a major problem. City engineer Aniruddha Pavaskar said a detailed survey was underway at locations with proposed parking lots. This survey, Pavaskar said, was set to conclude by Aug-end. PMC officials said they were also in the process of setting aside parking spaces near Metro stations.
“We want PMC to set deadlines to develop parking spaces. The administration must understand that it is also losing revenue. Existing parking lots only have three to four floors. PMC can increase their capacity to accommodate more vehicles.
Leader of opposition in PMC, Nilesh Nikam, said PMC began demolishing the JM Road vertical parking lot without developing more spaces along the stretch and on neighbouring FC Road.